


playing charades

by watergator



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Fluff, Getting Together, Kinda, M/M, No cheating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:07:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23596597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watergator/pseuds/watergator
Summary: dan and phil work in the same office. bryony thinks they'd make a cute couple. they both seem to be equally as oblivious to each other as well as their feelings. at least, that's what everyone thinks...
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 15
Kudos: 143





	playing charades

**Author's Note:**

  * For [obv10usly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/obv10usly/gifts).



> written for pam for the phandomgives chairty fic <3

There’s a tap of long, painted nails on his desk in a rhythmic way, reminding him of some weird ASMR, making him look up to see Bryony looking down at him through her turtoise rimmed glasses.   
  
They hold eye contact for a moment, like they’re mind-reading; it’s something they both do a lot. They talk without words. It just happens when you spend so much time with one person in one office for copious amounts of time.   
  
“Wot?” Dan finally breaks and Bryony’s shoulders droop and she lets out an exasperated sigh, in turn with a roll of her eyes and Dan only has to scrunch up his nose at her to tell her, he really doesn’t understand what she’s saying.    
  
Or at least, what she isn’t saying.   
  
She tuts and shifts her weight onto the other leg and her brows crease.    
  
“Phil,” she says in a hushed voice, almost through gritted teeth. “The IT guy.”   
  
Dan blinks at her, before he’s letting out a stuttered laugh, his voice completely trips over itself, and he’s sure his stupid rosy patch is proper red now because Bryony is giving him such a knowing look.   
  
“He’s here,” she tells him, voice still low. “He’s fixing the printer, it’s proper fucked up, I don’t know why,” she continues with a flick of her hand in the air. “But that’s besides the point.”   
  
“Not if I wanna use the printer it isn’t,” Dan comments, his words mumbled under his breath, but Bryony manages to hear it still.   
  
“Forget the poxy printer,” she scowls. “Talk to him! You clearly fancy the pants off the bloke,” she says, managing a grin.   
  
Dan’s face only flushes a deeper red. “No I don’t,” he lies.   
  
Once again, Bryony, the magical being she is, sees straight through him because she’s scoffing a laugh and yet another roll of her eyes.    
  
Surely they must grow tired of how many times they roll around inside her head like that, Dan thinks.   
  
He’s interrupted of this thoughts when there’s the sound of clanging about and a voice coming from across the small space of the office.   
  
Bryony turns to look, watching where Phil’s pulled the machine out, bent over to examine the back of it. She looks back at Dan with an almost giddy look. This time it’s Dan’s turn to roll his eyes.   
  
“Do it, Howell,” she whispers. “Or you’re fired.”   
  
Dan frowns. “I’m not sure you can do that,” he tells her. She’s already walking away.   
  
*   
  
Dan spends the rest of his day in the same mundane routine; calling clients, updating spreadsheets, rearranging the stack of paper on his desk in a neat pile and other things that his boring office job consists of. 

Every now and then he’ll catch the attention of where Bryony is sat opposite him, and she grins at him, all cat-like, as if she has some grand trick up her sleeve. She nods towards where Phil the IT guy is still fiddling around with the printer. He has his head down when Bryony looks at Dan and motions for a cup of tea, then jerking her head back at him.   
  
Dan sighs.    
  
She’s really bloody persistent, all because Dan had simply  _ blushed  _ a couple of times.   
  
He finishes what work he’s doing when he rolls back in his chair, stretching his legs out with a small sigh, and he stands up, much to Bryony’s delight who simply flashes him a smile and a quick thumbs up.   
  
Dan approaches Phil, who’s unaware of his presence behind him, too busy in what he’s doing, when Dan clears his throat.   
  
It still makes him jump because he stands up and spins around so fast on his heels that he actually wobbles a little, and he has to grip onto Dan’s arm to steady himself.   
  
Dan feels his face heat up, even more, that it might as well explode off of his body at this point, and all he can do is duck his head down because he’s sure that Bryony is probably just loving this from where she’s sat at her desk.

“God!” Phil says between a giddy kind of laugh. “Sorry. You scared me,” he smiles.   
  
It’s wonky and there’s a tongue poking out between even more wonkier teeth.    
  
“Yeah,” Dan says, flickering his eyes back up away from his lips and up at Phil’s gaze because he’s sure Bryony can tell he’s staring and he’s even more sure she’ll give him shit for it later on.   
  
“Sorry,” he adds on. “I, uh. I was gonna ask. Tea? Coffee?”   
  
Dan could practically mouth the next words that come out of Phil’s mouth. He’s smiling now. He looks over at Bryony, smiles harder, and looks at Dan again.   
  
“Coffee. Milk. Two sugars.”   
  
Dan grins, and purses his lips together. He wants to ask if maybe it’s an enthusiasm for something, but again, Bryony and her bloody bat ears.   
  
“Right,” Dan smiles. “One coffee coming up.”   
  
*   
  
Phil’s long since downed his coffee, or as Dan likes to call it: his caffeine lava hell drink.   
  
He’s still fiddling around with the printer, pulling the paper tray out and cursing under his breath as he jabs a few buttons.   
  
He doesn’t realise he’s staring until Bryony once again is in front of him, blocking his view.   
  
“You have to ask him out,” she tells him bluntly. “Or I’m firing you for reals.”   
  
Dan swallows thickly, feeling his face heat up.   
  
“Aren’t they both like, against the rules?” Dan says, voice cracking a little bit.   
  
Bryony just smiles devilishly. “What?”   
  
Dan rocks in his chair, side to side as he picks up a pencil to tap against the desk.    
  
“Well, you’re not really my boss. And even if you were, I could sue you for discrimination if you were to fire me for such a thing.”   
  
He looks up to see the look on her face.    
  
“Okay, yes,” she admits with a huff. “But dating the IT guy definitely isn’t against the law.”   
  
Dan tuts and shakes his head. “Workplace relations, Bry,” he tells her. “Not really encouraged, is it?”   
  
She simply responds with a roll of her eyes. “God, you’re no fun, are you?” She groans in a low voice. “It’s not as if you’re gonna be shagging on the bloomin’ desks, is it?”   
  
Dan almost chokes on the air, letting his pencil clatter back onto the desk.   
  
“Jesus,” Dan manages to squeak out. “I’m sure that would be against the rules.”   
  
Bryony gives him a sly smile and a quirk of her brows. “As long as you’re not though. That’s what matters.”   
  
Dan has to restrain from flipping her off as she walks away.   
  
*   
  
The rest of the day is a drag. Bryony actually ends up being busy, and so for the rest of the day she doesn’t end up pestering Dan, leaving him to stare at Phil all he wants.   
  
He’s lost in his own little world when Phil turns around at looks right at him, making Dan blush even harder than he had before before the pair exchange smiles.   
  
*   
  
Dan has to use the photocopier. He glances over and sure enough Bryony is still occupied. He pulls himself out of his chair and heads over to where Phil is still doing whatever it is he’s doing.   
  
“Is the copier working?” Dan asks. Phil turns around and grins.    
  
“It should be,” he tells him, side stepping so Dan can get to the machine. Dan keeps his gaze down as he slots the paper in, jabs a few buttons, waits for a couple of seconds until the copier springs to life and starts working.    
  
He looks up to see Phil’s expression, grinning like he’s pleased as punch.   
  
“I’m a genius,” Phil tells him proudly. “Just call me Philly, master of technology.”   
  
Dan snorts a laugh and shakes his head. “Okay. Then you can just call me Danny, master of-”   
  
He’s cut short when there’s the sound of his desk phone going off. He scoffs before swiping his paper out of the tray and looking back at Phil.   
  
“Master of what now?” Phil asks with a grin. 

Dan bites his lip to hide his smile and turns on his heel to return back to his desk.   
  
*   
  
With the day closing to an end, things begin to wind down; less emails filter in, less phone calls buzz around the office and Dan is feeling more than ready to go home.   
  
Well. Not his home, at least.   
  
His thoughts are interrupted yet again when Bryony comes rolling over in her chair, not even bothering to stand and walk anymore.   
  
She has a grin on her face despite looking frazzled from the long work day. Dan sits back in his chair and raises his brows at her, willing her to say whatever it is she has to say.   
  
“You were so flirting with him earlier,” she whispers. She’s already laughing quietly when Dan makes an expastered face at her.   
  
“Bry,” he sighs. “Asking if the copier is working is not flirting. I’d hate to think how many people you’ve probably fallen in love with in this office because of that,” he jokes.   
  
But Bryony is having none of it. “Mate,” she shakes her head, little wisps of pink hair falling from her tired looking bun. “Nobody said anything about love other than you.”   
  
Dan opens his mouth but shuts it like a fish.

She gives him a wicked grin. “He likes you, you like him,” she says in a sing-songy voice. “It’s so obvious.”

Dan says nothing, and instead presses his lips into a thin line and does he best to scowl at her.

“You’re not denying it, are you?” She says with a click of her tongue.

Dan just gives her an expastetated look and rolls back around so he doesn’t have to face her.

Before she can say anything there’s footsteps coming up behind him, making her face fall into something more serious.

Dan spins around in his chair, looking up to where Phil’s long, hunched over body stands over him, his head haloed by the bright office light.

“Hi,” he says with a lopsided grin. His hands are shoved awkwardly into his trouser pockets and his stance shifts from one leg to another.

“Hey,” Dan says back. He’s glad that Bryony is out of his peripheral vision.

“Um, so. I’ve finished up here, you finish in,” he pauses to fish his phone out of his pocket before glancing at the screen and then back at Dan. “In like, five, right?”

Dan’s heart is pounding against his chest.

“Uh huh,” he croaks.

“Well. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come get a drink with me?”

Dan’s just really fucking glad he can’t see Bryony’s face right now. He can however imagine the smug look that’s probably plastered over her face.

Dan opens his mouth to speak, but Phil’s already cutting in.

“It’s just there’s a really lovely place not far from here,” he grins. “Me and my boyfriend found it a few weeks back, and I think you’d really like it.”

Dan snaps his mouth shut and swallows the dry feeling in his mouth. He looks at Phil and Phil looks right back at him.

“Uh, yeah,” he eventually says, words stumble from his mouth. “Sure, yeah. Of course.”

Phil smiles wide and nods. “Cool. I’ll grab my coat. Meet you downstairs?”

Dan just nods weakly and watches as he leaves.

He spins back around to look where Bryony is still standing. 

She’s looking a little sheepish.

“Oh, Dan,” she says sadly.

Dan avoids her face and jabs a thumb at his computer button, watching the screen shut down to black.

“What?” He mumbles.

She collects his pens off his desk and neatly arranges them back into his little mug.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he had a boyfriend.”

Dan flings his coat over his shoulder when he looks back up at her. She looks sad kinda.

He just shrugs.“It’s not your fault,” he tells her honestly. He pushes his chair under his desk and smiles warmly at her.

“See you after the weekend, Bry.”

She pats his arm and gives him a sympathetic kind of smile. “Don’t get too drunk,” she warns him. “Call me if you need anything, yeah?”

Dan smiles back and pats her hand until it falls away from him.

“I will,” he promises.

He leaves, saying his goodbyes as he makes his way to the lift.

He’s dropping to the bottom floor, thinking through what Bryony said when the door dings and it slides open.

Phil’s stood there with a grin still plastered on his face.

“You’re such a shit,” Dan tuts.

Phil just laughs as he walks beside him, clearly looking pleased with himself.

“What?!” He squeaks, playing the innocent card.

Dan glances at him before rolling his eyes, trying to surpass his fondness he’s sure Phil can so clearly see.

“You made her feel bad,” Dan tells him.

Phil still won’t stop smiling. “You asked me to make her back off!”

His voice is carried through the underground car park and Dan bumps his shoulder with his own and his giggles.

“Well she’s gonna stop asking about you know for sure,” Dan tells him flatly. “And I think she’s gonna try to set me up with someone else now.”

Phil just snorts. “That would be funny.”

Dan gives him a deadpanned look. They reach his car and he waits until Phil’s pestering him to open the door.

“I don’t see why we can’t just tell them we’re dating,” Phil says as they clamber into their seats. “It’s not as if it’s the end of the world. It's not like you’re my boss or anything.”

Dan sticks the key in the ignition and shoots Phil a look. “l could be, someday.”

Phil smiles, his tongue pokes through his teeth like it always does.”

“Sure you will, bub. Sure you will.”

The car comes to life and the radio starts up. It’s playing Jessie’s Girl. Phil’s already tapping his foot against the dashboard, off best of course.

“I just like it being us,” Dan says in a quiet voice. “Just for now.”

Phil smiles softly at him. All kinds of teasing fizzles away for a moment as they look at one another. It feels like a whole conversation is held between them with no words past their lips.

Phil smiles, the space around his eyes crinkle and Dan feels his heart flip in his chest just from looking at him. It really does feel like a crush that never left.

“Just for now,” he whispers back.

Dan looks away, and adjusts his mirror before clearing his throat. 

“So, where’s this place your boyfriend likes so much?” Dan asks as he puts the car in reverse and stars to pull out. He looks back at Phil who’s looking at him with a wonky smile.

“Our place or our place?” He asks.

Dan lets out a breathy laugh. “Our place,” he smiles. “But you’re buying.”

Phil laughs, it echoes off the walls as his window winds down and they leave the car park.

It still rings out when Dan drives away, lingering as Dan turns the radio dial up, letting Phil tap his foot to every other beat.    
  
_ I play along with the charade _

_ There doesn't seem to be a reason to change _

_ You know, I feel so dirty when they start talking cute _

_ I wanna tell her that I love her _

_ But the point is probably moot _

Dan grins to himself as they cruise towards home, before looking over at where Phil’s happily singing along.

He’s playing along for the charade for now, but soon enough, he can’t wait to show him off. His stupid, adorable, nerd of a boyfriend that sings off key and makes more friendships with computers than humans.

Someday, he promises himself. Someday.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on tumblr!! @watergator


End file.
